Blood That Runs Through Your Veins
by MissingMommy
Summary: Andromeda and Narcissa reconnect after Bellatrix's death. :: Andromeda&Narcissa, for ladyoftheknightley


For Anna (ladyoftheknightley). I'm only about a month late, and I'm sorry! I hope that you enjoy this!

For the Quidditch League. Beater 1 with the prompts of "Children begin by loving their parents; after a time, they judge them; rarely, if ever, do the forgive them" – Oscar Wilde, change, and "Don't Go" – Rae Morris, more specifically the lines: "I keep on staring into the past", "Sometimes people make the wrong moves", "fill my world with hope again" and "I hate this state we're in."

For a Jury of Your Peer – family.

.

Narcissa stands at the doors of the church, shaking hands and accepting condolences. There aren't that many people, not that Narcissa was really expecting many. It is for Bellatrix, after all; those who weren't Bellatrix's friends were her enemies, and she had plenty of the latter.

The small church is barely filled half-way by the time the funeral is supposed to start. Narcissa is about to close the doors when one last person Apparates.

A woman with dark brown hair stands in front of her, her dark gray eyes boring into Narcissa's lighter ones, which Narcissa recognizes easily. She narrows her eyes. "Andromeda," she says, "what are you doing here?"

"For Bella's funeral," Andromeda answers. Before Narcissa can run her off, Andromeda continues with, "Please, Cissy. You weren't the only one that lost a sister that day."

There are a hundred different responses that Narcissa can think of – _you aren't my sister anymore; you have no right to be here; just leave_ – but she finds herself moving out of the doorway. Andromeda slips past her and takes a seat in the back pew.

Narcissa shuts the door and walks gracefully up the aisle of the church. She nods to the preacher after she takes her seat. Throughout the ceremony, she resists the urge to cry because she's still a Black, and Blacks don't cry, especially in public.

.

She stands over the grave of her sister, tears falling freely now that she's alone. She's too consumed by her own grief to hear the footsteps. She feels a hand on her shoulder, causing her to freeze. Before she turns around, she wipes the evidence of her tears away.

She takes a calming breath and turns around to meet the dark gray eyes of her sister. Anger courses through her veins as she pulls away from Andromeda. "Go away," she demands.

Andromeda drops her hand and moves back. "I'm sorry," she whispers.

Narcissa laughs humorously. "You're sorry?" she questions. "Sorry for what? That Bella died? Or are you sorry because you left? Because you picked some Mudblood over your own family?"

She's kept this bottled inside so long that she feels relieved to finally let it out. She wants to hate Andromeda, wants to hate everything about her, but she finds that she hates that Andromeda choose a boy over family.

"For Bella," Andromeda confirms. "I'd never be sorry about loving Ted. Though, I regret that I couldn't be a part of your life because of it."

Narcissa narrows her eyes. "I looked up to you," she admits. "And you left when I needed you the most."

Andromeda's face softens. "I tried to be a part of your life after I married Ted, Cissy. But mother and father wouldn't let me. They feared that I would corrupt you."

"They would've been right. You're nothing but a blood-traitor," she spits.

Frowning, Andromeda shakes her head. "Don't call me that. I didn't want to abandon my blood. But I wasn't going to marry if I didn't love someone. So I had no choice."

Once again, Narcissa narrows her eyes. "Are you telling me that I don't love Lucius?"

"No," Andromeda murmurs. "I'm telling you that I didn't love Antonin and I couldn't learn to love him. I love Ted and I couldn't change that. Salazar knows I tried. But I wasn't going to let mother and father use me like they used Bella, either."

"Mother and father loved us!" Narcissa argues heatedly. "They only wanted what was best for us."

Smiling sadly, Andromeda replies, "Oh, Cissy, you're as naïve as you always were." Before Narcissa can complain, as Andromeda knew she would, Andromeda continues. "Mother and father used you and Bella to further our family name. It wasn't what was best for us – only them, only our family."

"You're wrong."

"Just look at Bella," she says patiently. "She married a man she didn't love just because that's what mother and father wanted, because it would further our family name. While I have no doubt that you love Lucius now, I'm sure that you didn't love him at the beginning." Andromeda meets Narcissa's eyes. "Go on," she urges. "Tell me I'm wrong."

When Narcissa is silence, Andromeda smiles again. "I didn't marry for money, power, or position because I didn't need what I already had. I married for love because it was the one thing that mother and father never gave us. Even you have to understand that."

The anger seems to drain out of Narcissa. "You still left me."

Andromeda moves closer. "I know, Cissy, and I'm sorry that I did. But I heard what you did; I heard that you risked your life to protect your family. Does family mean that much to you?"

"I would die to protect Draco," she whispers. "In a heartbeat."

"I'm still your sister. Will you let me be that again?" There's a note of vulnerability in Andromeda's voice as she asks this, one that Narcissa doesn't miss. "Please," she begs, because Andromeda is not above begging. "You and Teddy are the only family I have left."

Narcissa inhales sharply. "I don't know," she replies. "You haven't been my sister in a long time."

Andromeda smiles because it's not exactly a _no_. "I know this isn't going to be fixed overnight, but I want to be your sister again. I never did stop loving you or caring about you."

"I never did, either. I tried to hate you, but it didn't really work," Narcissa replies. There's a pause before Narcissa continues, almost as if she's gathering the courage to go on. "We can arrange a day to have some tea."

Wrapping Narcissa in her arms, Andromeda hugs her tightly. "Thank you, sister," she murmurs into Narcissa's blonde hair. She feels Narcissa hug her back, causing her to smile because she thinks that this just might be a new beginning.

She can't change the past, but she can change the future. And this future, even though Ted and Nymphadora aren't in it, looks bright.


End file.
